Odd Squad - I Love Lucy Crossover
by Flying Saucers
Summary: Lucy fibs that the heroes from Little Ricky's new favorite show Odd Squad are coming to his birthday party. Can she save the day with one of her outlandish schemes?
1. Chapter 1

"Hi honey!" Ricky Ricardo walked into the small city apartment he shared with his wife and small son. "I can't stay too long, I just..."

His wife Lucy was sitting on the couch with their son, Little Ricky. Their eyes were glued to the television.

"Lucy?"

No response.

"Lucy?" He poked her gently. "Honey?"

Lucy started. "Oh, hi Ricky! Gee, I didn't even hear you come in! Little Ricky's favorite show's on!"

Ricky laughed. "Oh, that 'Odd Squad' I been hearing so much about?"

"Yeah! I must've gotten so caught up in it, I didn't even hear you come in!"

Fred and Ethel Mertz, the Ricardos' neighbors and close friends, poked their heads through the open door.

"Odd Squad?" Fred came in, joining Lucy on the couch. "I've been meaning to check that out..." He coughed. "Because I'm interested in what my godson is watching, of course."

"Yeah," Ethel followed him inside, smiling indulgently. "Of course you are." She sat down in the chair next to the couch. "So, Luce, what's the story?"

"Well, it's all about this team of little kids that go around solving odd problems. It's really funny and cute and it's very educational! It's helped Little Ricky a lot with his math skills in school!" She cuddled her young son. "Hey, it's even taught me a few things!"

"Yeah," Ricky chuckled. "With the way you manage your household budget, you could use some math skills!"

"Oh, har-har!" Lucy sniffed, then turned back to Ethel. "So anyway, that one girl, the one with the glasses, she needs to get that gadget from that other girl..."

"Wait a minute," Ricky peered at the screen. "Hey, that little girl with the smart mouth, isn't she Latina?" He grinned. "Well, how 'bout that! We got us some representation!"

"Yeah," Lucy continued. "So, that girl with the floppy tie-thing and the crazy eyes, she's the Odd Squad scientist and she and the girl in the glasses and that boy with the Elvis hair are stuck in a time-loop..."

"MOM!" Little Ricky whined. "I can't hear the show!"

"Oh! Oh, sorry, dear!" She smoothed her son's hair.

Fred kept staring at the TV. "What I don't understand is how we're able to watch this on a black and white set in the Fifties."

Ethel rolled her eyes. "Way to ruin the suspension of disbelief, killjoy!"

Ricky leaned down and kissed his wife's forehead. "Well, enjoy your show, guys. I just stopped by to let you know I'm gonna be working a little late at the club tonight. The boys and I are getting a new show together..." He paused, realizing what he just said. "AND NO, LUCY, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE IN IT!"

Lucy didn't even look up. "Hmm?"

"You heard me!" Ricky insisted. "You are not going to louse this show up like you've done all the others! I'm putting my foot down!"

"Oh," Lucy nodded absently. "That's nice, dear. By the way, could you see if you can get anyone at the club to entertain at Little Ricky's birthday party tomorrow? Maybe a clown or something?"

Ricky blinked. "Yeah." He backed toward the door. "Yeah, I'll see what I can do." He looked at the little group watching the television, shrugged, and walked out the door. "Something very odd has happened..."

#

"ZAP! ZAP! KA-POW!" Little Ricky in his PJs and robe ran around his Aunt Ethel pretending to zap her with his tooth-brush. "I GOTCHA, JAMIE JAM! NOW YOU STOP JAMMING STUFF UP!"

"All right, all right Agent O'Ricky, I surrender!" Ethel laughed. "Now you finish getting ready for bed."

"Aw, do I gotta...?"

"Yes, you gotta," she steered him toward the bathroom. "You want to be all rested up for your birthday tomorrow, don't you? Get those teeth brushed and your mom will come in a few minutes to kiss you good night."

Ethel emerged from the bathroom just in time to see Lucy come into the apartment carrying a large box.

"Is that..." She looked behind her, then mouthed the rest. "Little Ricky's birthday cake?"

Lucy nodded. Ethel followed her into the kitchen, where Lucy showed her the Odd Squad-themed cake.

"Oh, that's really good!"

"Yeah, I know," Lucy sat down in one of the kitchen chairs. "I guess it would've been cheaper to bake my own cake but I could never have made anything that looks this good!"

"Oh, the little badges around the edges are adorable! They..." Ethel noticed Lucy's mood. "Say, what's wrong, kid? Something bothering you?"

Lucy sighed in exasperation. "Oh, that Caroline Appleby! Her little Stevie's birthday is coming up too and she was at the bakery going on and on and on about the pricey stuff she'd arranged for _his_ party." She slumped. "She's hired balloons and pony rides and musicians and fireworks..."

"Yeah, well..." Ethel patted Lucy's shoulder. "You know how she can be..."

"Well," Lucy slumped even more. "I finally ended up telling her Odd Squad was coming to Little Ricky's party."

Before either woman could say anything, they heard a gasp behind them. They turned to see Little Ricky standing by the door, brush in hand, mouth full of toothpaste.

"Odd Squad's coming to my birthday party?"

Before they could say anything, he'd bounded across the kitchen and wrapped his mom in a bear hug. "OH MOM, THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU! YOU'RE THE BEST MOM EVER!"

Lucy smiled weakly. "Well, I..."

"Oboy, I won't even be able to sleep tonight!" Little Ricky headed for bed. "Odd Squad at MY party! Wow!"

Ethel watched to make sure he was tucked safely in bed before asking, "You didn't really get Odd Squad for Little Ricky's party, did you?"

Lucy stared miserably at the cake. "I can't even afford to get a bouncy castle."

"Oh, NO!" Ethel sat in the other chair. "Poor Little Ricky'll be heart-broken!"

"Yeah," Lucy sat staring glumly. Then a familiar gleam came into her eyes. "Unless..."

"Oh no," Ethel swallowed. "Not another one of your crazy ideas! Lucy, you know those schemes of yours never work!"

Lucy stood up. "They do too!" She considered, then admitted. "Sometimes... But this one's foolproof!"

"Yeah," Ethel sighed, resigned. "And we're gonna be the fools to prove it! What've you got in mind?"

"It's really very simple!" Lucy explained, excitement creeping into her tone. "If there were something odd here, like a monster or something, Odd Squad would have to come and fix it, right?"

"I... guess..." Ethel pondered. "But how're you going to get something odd to show up at Little Ricky's birthday party?"

"Well, you know those old Halloween costumes you and Fred keep stored in the cellar...?"

#


	2. Chapter 2

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LITTLE RICKY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOOOOU!"

The Ricardos' living room was shakily controlled chaos, with decorations, balloons, party favors, confetti, and the occasional shoe scattered around the apartment. A horde of small children were singing, led by the signature screech of Lucy, with the two Mertzes helping maintain order.

"Okay now, Little Ricky!" Fred adjusted his party hat. "Make a wish and blow out the candles!"

Little Ricky blew out all four candles of his birthday cake, then joined in the applause, bouncing with excitement in his chair. Lucy doled out cake and ice cream and checked her watch every few seconds.

After checking to make sure the children were busy, Lucy motioned for Ethel to come over by the kitchen door.

Ethel hurried over, leaning close to Lucy. "Did you call... You Know Who?"

Lucy nodded. "They said they'd be here in a couple minutes. You look after the kids, I've gotta get into my costume. I've got it hidden under the sink in the kitchen..."

Stevie Appleby mashed his cake and ice cream together. "When I get big, I'm gonna have my own restaurant an' everyone who works there'll have to sing 'Happy Birthday' all day..."

Ethel fidgeted. "I'm still not sure about this, Lucy. What if something goes wrong?"

The doorbell rang.

"There they are!" Lucy ducked into the kitchen, poking her head out the door. "You keep 'em busy until I'm ready."

She closed the kitchen window-shutters. Having no other alternative, Ethel hurried over to get the door.

The doorbell rang again. Ethel opened the door to let Otis and Olympia in.

"Hello, ma'am," Otis nodded politely. He swallowed a bit, seeing the crowd.

"So..." Olympia smiled at the cake, the decorations, and the kids who were frozen, staring in awe at the two of them. "Are you guys having a party?"

"Uh..." Ethel looked down at the two agents, who were looking up at her expectantly, waiting for her to deliver the line. "Well, I, er... Thank you for coming..."

" **ODD SQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!** "

The kids descended on Otis and Olympia in a maelstrom of toddler excitement.

Olympia immediately started signing napkins and answering questions:

"Thank you! Thank you so much! Yes, we've both been at Odd Squad two or three years now!"

"I don't really know, it all depends on the schedule..."

"Well, Oscar's really busy being head scientist so he doesn't really visit that often..."

"I think they kinda hafta recruit you. I got a letter in the mail with this form I had to fill out...

"No, I've never had a case where I turned into a giant. Otis shrank once, but I was off that day..."

"I don't really know, he never told me. I think they'll be explaining it soon, though..."

Otis was just trying to stay calm and not panic and start swatting them away.

"Ma'am... Ma'am! _Ma'am!_ " Otis fought his way through the kids to Ethel, dragging Olympia behind him. "You called us about some sort of odd problem...?"

Just then, the kitchen door burst open. A bizarre-looking figure in a long black coat and a slouch hat jumped out at them.

"WHARARH! OOGIDDY OOGIDDY BLAH BLAH BLAH!"

The kids all screamed. Otis and Olympia pulled out a couple gadgets and blasted the figure, who swayed and stumbled as sparks shimmered around it. There were screeching noises and a sound like a needle being yanked off a record.

"That's... Not supposed to happen..." Olympia looked at Otis. "What gadget did you use?"

"Monster-Go-Awayinator. What'd you use?"

"Monster Be-Goneinator."

"Well, those're the right gadgets. So why is it..."

Then the two agents got a good look at the figure, noticing the distinctly rubber mask, complete with eyeholes, the tilted wig, and the cheap fur-covered gloves.

"WHAT in the...?"

The thing stumbled back into the kitchen. As Olympia and Otis looked at one another in confusion, Ethel motioned to Fred, pointing at the kids, then at the door.

"OKAY, KIDS!" Fred herded the little kids out of the apartment. "There's more party downstairs so everyone just come with me..."

Little Ricky stared at the kitchen door. "Is everything okay? Where's Mommy?"

"Everything's fine, Little Ricky!" Ethel assured him in a nervous sing-song, pushing him out with the other kids. "Mommy'll be down to join you in a second... I... Hope..."

Just then, Ricky came home. The crowd split in two to go around him. "Hi, everybody!" He handed Little Ricky a present as he passed. "Hey, is the party over?"

"No," Fred stage-whispered to Ricky. "But your marriage might be. COME ON, KIDS! EVERYBODY DOWNSTAIRS!"

Confused, Ricky walked over to the two agents. "Hey, aren't you those two kids from that show? What's going on?"

Otis blinked. "What show?"

Ricky got a little more serious. "Ethel, what is going on? Where's Lucy?"

Ethel bit her fingernail. Nervously, she turned to Otis and Olympia. "Um, guys..." She struggled to sound casual. "Just... Just as a matter of curiosity, if you zapped somebody with those gadgets and they weren't really a monster... Whuh... Whuh... what would happen?"

Olympia grimaced. "You... Really don't wanna know that..."

There was a weird, catlike screech from the kitchen.

"I'm pretty sure you're right, honey, but I get the feeling we're gonna find out."

Cautiously, they approached the kitchen and pushed open the door.

Ricky immediately slapped his forehead, spun, and turned away. "IY-YI-YI!"

Her costume scattered on the floor, Lucy stared at the lobster claws at the end of her tentacles, the writhing, flame-red worm-things that had been her hair snapping at one another. Three of her eyes stared desperately at the shocked Ethel, Otis, and Olympia and all seven of her mouths opened.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

#


	3. Chapter 3

"...So she put this disguise on, I guess she didn't realize you were gonna zap her..."

Otis, Olympia, and the newly arrived Ms. O were listening to Ethel Mertz explain Lucy's scheme as best she could while the gadget covering Lucy's head buzzed and vibrated. Doctor O checked the pulse on Lucy's now once-again human arms and monitored her heartbeat. Ricky was staring at them all in complete bewilderment. Oona alternated between checking the gadget's dials to make sure everything was going smoothly and looking around the kitchen in quiet awe.

"I'm a big fan," she admitted to Ricky and Ethel. "My cousin got me the Complete Series DVD set for Christmas. Hey, remember the time she got a loving cup stuck on her head? Oh, and the time you all went to Hollywood and met Harpo Marx and she did the mirror bit, that was classic." She smiled ear to ear. "Big, BIG fan..."

Ricky smiled nervously, nodded, then turned to Ethel. "How does she know about all that?"

Ethel shrugged. "They're Odd Squad. They know everything."

Doctor O was now monitoring Lucy's heartbeat. When the gadget 'pinged' and a light on top switched from red to green, she helped Oona remove it. Gingerly, Lucy felt her now-restored face and sighed with relief.

"Oh... Oh, thank GOODNESS..."

"That should do it," Doctor O told her as she packed away the gadget . "As a precaution, stay away from riboflavins, keep the home fires burning, and don't let the teardrops rust your shining heart." She scribbled something on a notepad, tore off the page, and handed it to Ricky.

"What's this, a prescription?"

"No, it's a drawing of a horse. I'm taking art classes."

Ricky looked at the picture. "It's... It's very good..."

"Thank you. WHAT'S next?" She strode out of the room.

"Oh thank you SO much, Odd Squad!" Lucy sighed. "For awhile there, I was scared I'd end up in a zoo or something! I..." She saw Ms. O frowning at her, arms folded. Then she saw the look on Ricky's face. "Uh-oh..."

"Now, Mrs. Ricardo," Ms. O walked deliberately over to Lucy. "You have some explaining to do."

Ricky nodded. "I couldn't have said it any better myself."

"Obviously," Otis said under his breath.

Olympia stared at him. "Okay, that's just mean..."

Ricky continued. "Lucy, of all the crazy stunts you have ever done, this has got to be the worst...!" He unleashed a torrent of furious Spanish on his cringing wife which lasted until Ms. O put her hand on his chest.

"Mister Ricardo, perhaps you're not aware I speak fluent Spanish."

"I... Oh!" He blushed and covered his mouth. "Oh, I'm so sorry..."

"I speak Spanish too," Otis added quietly. "I even know what two or three of those words mean. Maybe even four, but I'm not sure people did that sort of thing in the Fifties..."

Ms. O turned to Lucy. "Mrs. Ricardo, do you have any idea what the penalty is for making a false report to Odd Squad?"

Lucy squirmed and fidgeted. "Uh... A stern talking-to?"

Ms. O growled.

"Well, I'm sorry!" Lucy blurted out on the verge of tears. "But my little son's such a fan of you and he just loves your show and there wasn't any other way to get you and I didn't know what else to do..."

Otis was confused. " _What show?"_

Oona sighed. "It's... complicated..."

Just then, Fred Mertz stuck his head in the door. "Hey, is it safe to come in yet?"

"Fred?" Ethel got up off her chair, went over, and confirmed he was alone. "Where are the kids? You didn't leave them by themselves, did you?"

"Nah, of course not!" He scoffed. "That clown Ricky sent over's down there putting on a show for 'em! She's got 'em eating out of her hand!"

"Clown?" Ricky turned, puzzled. "What clown?"

"You know, the clown. Kooky the Clown." Ricky still looked puzzled. "Little tiny thing, rainbow hair, polka-dot shirt, suspenders..." The Odd Squad agents were looking nervously at one another. "You... did send her, didn't you?"

#

"Hoo hoo HOO!"

Kooky The Clown capered and cavorted, streams of bubbles trailing from the bubble wand she waved about. The bubbles exploded into showers of glitter scattering in all directions, turning the Mertz living room into a shimmering, rainbow-colored mess. Suspended from the ceiling, the kids struggled inside the balloon-cage she had wrapped around them.

"Bubbles, balloons, and glitter-showers are just some of Kooky's magic powers! Kooky can frolic, wreak havoc and play, for Odd Squad is so far away!"

Just then, the door burst open.

"ODD SQUAD, ODD SQUAD! STOP RIGHT THERE..."

They paused, looking at Lucy. Otis had to ask.

"This isn't another of your stunts, is it?"

Lucy shook her head. "No, no! Cross my heart!"

They picked up where they left off.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, KOOKY CLOWN!"

Kooky froze, mouth agape. "Odd Squad? But HOW?"

"Never mind how, Kooky Clown!" Olympia pulled out a gadget and struck a pose. "You're busted! Now get busy and clean up this mess!"

Otis stood behind her. "And let those kids go!"

"And stop talking in rhyme!" Oona added. "That's not even canon!"

Kooky sniffed. "Look, I'm trying something new, okay? What, a villain's not allowed to change it up once in a while?"

Ethel tip-toed around the room on the verge of tears. "Oh, my RUG..."

The kids were cheering from their balloon-cage. "ODD SQUAD, ODD SQUAD!"

"Anyway..." Kooky crouched, a maniacal grin plastered across her painted face. "I don't know how you knew I was here, but Kooky's not ready to cower in fear!" She pulled a string of balloons from her pants and twisted them until she'd created a balloon sword. "HAVE AT THEE!"

Kooky lunged at Olympia, who parried with the gadget she was holding. The two dueled, dancing back and forth across the living room while the kids watched from their cage.

Ricky, meanwhile, was completely lost. "This... This is just too crazy for me." He turned to Otis. "Y'know, I'm starting to think you and I are the only normal people here..."

Otis nodded. "Well sir, I... AAAAAAAAIIIIIGH!"

Ricky froze. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Oona hurried over and took down the trio of ceramic ducks from the Mertz wall, hiding them in a drawer. "He... has a little problem with ducks..." She smiled apologetically.

Covering his mouth, Ricky nodded. "Oooooooookay..."

From the balloon cage, Little Ricky reached for his mother. "Mama! Mama!"

"Little Ricky!" Lucy ran over and struggled with the balloon bars of the balloon cage. "We've got to get those kids outta there!"

"But what can we do?" Ethel pulled at the balloon bars. "These things won't budge!"

Lucy's face lit up. "I got an idea..."

Fred grimaced. " _Another_ one?"

"Just be ready to help get the kids down!" Feeling around her pockets, Lucy produced a small spool of thread with a needle sticking out. "Good thing I was darning Ricky's socks earlier!"

Pulling the pin out, she hurried over and popped the balloons making up the bottom of the cage one by one.

"Okay kids, hold tight!"

She continued until the broken balloons sagged enough for the children to wriggle their way out. Lucy, Ethel and Fred grabbed them and lowered each and every one of them to the ground.

"Good work, Mrs. Ricardo!" Ms. O nodded in approval.

Meanwhile, Olympia knocked the balloon sword from Kooky's hand, holding her at bay with her gadget. "HA!"

Kooky slumped, defeated. "Oh, poodles..."

Otis thrust a broom into her hands. "Start sweeping, clown."

Kooky snarled but did as she was told. "I don't even understand. How did they know I was here? What are they even doing in a lower-middle-class New York neighborhood apartment building in the 1950's? It doesn't make any sense..."

The kids all cheered. Olympia took a bow, then grabbed Otis' hand and persuaded him to smile and take a bow as well.

"Thanks, kids!" Olympia fished around in her pockets and produced a small, gift-wrapped package. "And happy birthday, Little Ricky!"

She handed Little Ricky the package and watched happily as he tore it open. "Oh, GEE! A REAL ODD SQUAD BADGE!" He clipped it on his shirt.

"A-A-And today's episode's going to start in a couple minutes," Fred stated, responding to some hand gestures from Ms. O. "So let's all go upstairs and watch!"

The excited kids all trooped upstairs after Fred. Stevie Appleby groused, "Aw, I bet it'll be another rerun..."

Otis looked at Olympia. "Where did you get...?"

Olympia shrugged. "I always carry a couple around in case I run into fans."

"So do I!" Oona produced a box, then put it away. "Maybe you should start. A lot of people do watch the show, y'know..."

 _"WHAT SHOW?"_

Ms. O, meanwhile, was talking with Lucy, who was anxiously trying to dig herself out of trouble.

"And you gotta admit if I hadn't called and got you here, things could've gone a lot worse..."

"And she did help save the kids..." Ethel added, sticking up for her friend.

Ms. O considered. "All right. We'll let it go." Lucy sighed in relief. "THIS ONCE!" She snapped. "BUT DON'T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN!"

"N-N-No, ma'am!" Lucy saluted.

"You don't have to worry about that," Ricky put his arm around Lucy. "I'll keep an eye on her."

"Yeah," Lucy and Ricky headed upstairs to join the other. "I promise not to bother Odd Squad any more unless it's absolutely necessary!" She looked at Ricky. "By the way, didn't you say you were doing a new show at the club..."

"LUUUUUUCCCCCY..."

Oona leaned out the door to watch them walk upstairs. "Classic screwball comedy at its best!"

Otis shook his head.

"Oona and I will take Kooky back to headquarters for booking. As for you two," Ms. O turned to Otis and Olympia. "Since you're in this, um, area anyway, I've got another case for you. A cursed nickel."

"Oh," Olympia scoffed. "One of those. We've handled those before! It'll be a snap!"

Ms. O looked at the address. "Uh-oh. No, I don't think so..."

#

Shrieking falcons circled overhead as Otis and Olympia fought their way through ferocious wind, rain and hail inside the television studio.

"SIR!" Olympia shouted over her shield. "YOU HAVE A CURSED NICKEL! JUST GIVE US THE NICKEL! WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT!"

"SIR!" Otis shooed away a dive-bombing falcon. "WE'RE TRAINED PROFESSIONALS! ALL OF THIS WILL GO AWAY IF YOU JUST GIVE US THE NICKEL!"

Lightning crackled and crew members ran in all directions.

"COME ON, JACK!" A very large man in a suit hollered. "THIS IS SERIOUS! HOW CAN I TELL FOLKS ABOUT THE SMOOTH, REFRESHING TASTE OF LUCKY STRIKES IF IT'S RAINING TOO HARD FOR ME TO LIGHT ONE UP?"

Olympia squinted at him. "You probably shouldn't be advertising cigarettes on television anyway..."

Otis nudged her. "It's the Fifties. They don't know about that stuff yet."

"COME ON, BOSS!" An African-American man clung desperately to the scenery. "JUST GIVE 'EM THE BLASTED NICKEL!"

The man in the center of the storm held the coin tightly in his fist, blinking at the others through his rain-soaked glasses. "I don't care if it IS cursed! Let 'em get their OWN nickel!"

#


End file.
